Giant icons and lesser kin: Chinese public perception of panda welfare at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

In this article, we consider the extent to which wildlife tourism in China has become a nodal point where human-animal interactions have been consistently shaped and reshaped by the multiple layers of naturecultural complexity. We do this by investigating Chinese visitors' evaluation of animal welfare as they apply to red and giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Panda Base). A survey of Chinese visitors indicated generally positive perceptions of the welfare conditions of pandas at Panda Base. Visitors largely viewed the institution as providing excellent care to pandas, reflecting a high degree of public trust in the organization. While red pandas were perceived to experience slightly better welfare conditions, visitor concern and attention focussed more heavily on giant pandas-possibly due to their iconic status. This study investigates how species status and environmental visibility influence Chinese visitors' perceptions of animal welfare at a major wildlife tourism site. It highlights how iconic animals such as the giant panda are often assumed to receive excellent care, while lesser-known species like the red panda invite more diverse interpretations-thus revealing a potential symbolic bias in public welfare judgements. These findings suggest a symbolic bias in welfare judgements, shaped not only by observable enclosure features but also by the animals' cultural significance in the native culture.